Heritage matters too

It is not to be
unexpected that in the wake of Christchurch’s February 22
earthquake that public anger would be directed at those
buildings that collapsed and killed or maimed Cantabrians.
This is not uncommon in such cataclysmic events overseas.
Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee declared on
March 5 that as far as he was concerned ‘most of
Christchurch’s heritage buildings would be bowled
tomorrow.’ Forgetting that most deaths occurred with the
collapse of the relatively modern CTV and PGC Buildings, he
further stated that ‘old buildings killed people when they
toppled during the earthquake and can’t remain.’
Perhaps as a sop, he suggests a few iconic buildings like
Christ Church cathedral could be rebuilt – “but that’s
it”. It seems most of Cabinet agrees and government
departments and agencies involved with Canterbury heritage
have fallen into line – as they are bound to do.

What
Gerry wants is the creation of a completely modern city that
will create ‘future heritage’ in the manner of Art Deco
Napier – rebuilt after the catastrophic 1931 quake. Does
this mean we’ll have to wait 50 plus years before rebuilt
Christchurch develops the patina of heritage? During the
1970s and 80s most citizens of Napier saw their CBD as
antiquated and obsolete. It was in a twilight zone: too
young to be seen as heritage; too old to be considered
modern. It was only when some key Art Deco Buildings in the
1980s began to be demolished that citizens awoke to the
jewel at their feet.

In other words, it will take at
least 50 years before Gerry’s ‘future heritage’
actually becomes heritage. And who is to say that that much
of rebuilt Christchurch will survive the normal forces of
capitalist redevelopment to even get that far. Napier’s
Art Deco CBD only made it into the 1980s because its economy
was flat and there was no pressure to rebuild it. It is
doubtful that Christchurch, being the economic powerhouse of
the South Island, will go the same way. Pockets of the
rebuilt city will remain, but to think we will have
something akin to Napier in 50 years is fanciful.

So
what’s the point of demolishing what heritage fabric that
still exists in Christchurch’s CBD to create a future city
that will not even survive the future. Isn’t far better to
keep that heritage that can be saved and strengthened to
modern standards and integrate this within the new city?
Wouldn’t this make a richer, more interesting and
meaningful city centre? This way Cantabrians and visitors
alike will be able to see manifest in the city’s streets
before and after earthquake stories – not just after. To
keep only a few iconic buildings deemed by Gerry as worthy
is akin to creating a heritage freakshow and degrades us
all.

I can only hope that in days ahead wiser heads than
Gerry’s will prevail and Cantabrians and other New
Zealanders will rise up against such vandalism to the
historic heart of Christchurch. If not, we can say goodbye
to places like Cuba Street in Wellington when the ‘big
one’ hits here – the precedent will have been set. We
can all be angry the failure of some historic buildings to
protect lives on the 22 February, but to use this an excuse
to raze the city is unnecessary and wrong. While the
demolition of historic buildings may be cathartic for some,
we can also be sure that future generations will be angry
with us for sitting back and letting it happen. It must not.

**Ben Schrader is a Wellington freelance
historian with expertise in urban history and heritage. His
last major book was We Call it Home: A history of state
housing in New
Zealand.

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